Am I the only one who thinks climbing spikes on live trees is overdone?

I see guys strapping on spikes for every pruning job and it drives me nuts. I spent $80 on a pair of Buckingham spikes last year only to realize they tear up bark way more than I thought. On a job in Portland last month, the homeowner pointed out the damage I did to his big maple and I felt like a complete idiot. Wouldn't it make more sense to save the spikes for removals and stick to rope or bucket trucks for trimming?

3 comments

3 Comments

aliceharris16d ago

That 80 bucks you spent on spikes is a drop in the bucket compared to what you might owe for killing a mature maple. Ive seen the scars left by "careful" climbers on Portland trees and they never fully heal. The_sage is talking about saving hours but im looking at years of decay that those spike holes introduce. You can get into tight crotches fine with a good flip line and some technique, its not that deep. Honestly i think most guys just like the look of stomping up a tree with spikes cause it feels faster. The damage is real and its not worth the shortcut for a trim job.

milesbarnes16d agoTop Commenter

You ever tried a knee ascender or a footlock for those tight spots @aliceharris? Switched to a Rope Wrench setup years ago and never looked back, no spikes needed for trimming.

the_sage16d ago

Are you seriously saying spikes have no place in pruning though? I've been climbing for years and honestly, for big deadwood removals or getting into tight crotches where a rope just won't work, spikes save me hours. You just gotta know when to use them, not slap em on for every little trim job.